what are you looking for in instruments?

[Reptil]

Is it the sound? Ease of operation? Or a combination of both?
Which machines did you actually ditch because they were unworkable/unstable? (if any)

[Cojo]

Assuming electronic instrument... Finally!

First the sound, then ease of use! And it have to sound really good if it's hard to use!

I dumped the Z1 due to endless sub menus, I dumped the FZ10M because of a "not so friendly" interface. I'm thinking of dumping the supernova because it doesnt sound as good as you would expect and it is also confusing to work with!

Also, I'm afraid of buying the virus of the same reason!

I'm sure there is more...

/Cojo

[Dave Peck]

In the 33 years that I've been patching synths I have only sold one (and regretted it later) so I can't say I have actually ditched any for any reasons, but there are times when I think that a particular synth will be just what the piece needs - and then I balk when I realize I'll have to get in there and actually make a new patch on the damn thing so I try something else. Stuff like the Z1 and the Morpheus are probably the worst. Seems like everything you need to do is always ten screens and twenty button pushes away from where you are.

Fortunately, I tend to go through a period of frantic patching on a new synth even if the user interface sucks, and then I have a large library of patches ready to go or ready to tweak a bit later so I don't constantly have to keep making new patches from scratch on every synth, mostly just the newer ones.

But I sure wish all of my synths had a user interface like my Nord Modular & G2 Modular. I'm certain I would get far more use out of all of them. A frustrating user interface will completely cripple the capabilities of a synth.

DP

[horseface]

1) The sound. A sound that can't easily be replicated with other synths. A unique sound.

2) The controls. Clean and simple. Something that doesn't get in the way. Something that becomes second nature very, very quickly.

[Cojo]

Originally Posted by Dave Peck

But I sure wish all of my synths had a user interface like my Nord Modular & G2 Modular.

Speaking of the nord modulars, I have tried them and find them to be very nice... but what happens when PCs are not around anymore? What's your thoughts?

Sorry if it's offtopic!

/Cojo

[Reptil]

I guess, you'll have to keep a PC hooked up, or a mac for that matter. I was thinking of picking up a V1 Nord mod, but I'm not sure yet.

I sold my Akai S2000. The menu drove me insane. Hooked up with an old mac (standard SCSI) and some software, it was pretty decent. I just didn't feel the love. Without the computer, it's hell.

Also the Xbase09 is pretty annoying. Preparing a drumkit, and then switching to another mode to play it?? And if you switch modes at the wrong moment, everything's gone?? I mean who thought this stuff up???

One of the best is still EMU. Straightforward, fast, and deep. (MP-7 workstation rompler) In later software versions functions are assigned in weird places. And a Rob Papen Rom card messed up the midi assignment. It's a keeper though.

Right now, for me, it's the sound. I'll control everything through a midi box anyway. If it's a midi synth.

[KRE8A]

Can you believe it. I haven't ditched any, but I do sometimes feel like ditching my DJX11 Synth Station.
Reason why ? I barely use it.
It's a fantastic synth which is full of surprises., patterns., loops., etc - it's a full on station... electronica.
As a positive for the machine, it has great concept stability, meaning it can drive a persons ideas into electro mode. Everything in ` overall, it's great, but unfortunately I like to create stuff more than use any thing which is on the music shelf (All ready Sampled).
I'm going to keep machine instead of ditch, just to keep as a collection.
tbh, sometimes I do like to add samples from time to time (HRD.WARE / DAW), very minimum though. Actually barely rarely, come to think of it.
Anyway, as you quoted...

Is it the sound

Some synth sounds send my skin into over drive with goose bumps.
Especially when warping and mangling the sounds, turning into something new.
Truthfully, when something new is made up, it's pretty much already out there.
The only more that can be done is to enhance and make more out of it.

[PaPi61]

It's totally the sound. I don't even bother anymore with multitimbrality on hardware synths. If I need a second track with the same machine, I'll simply record another one. After all, HW synths get into my recording computer through analog inputs. I think setting up multitimbrality on a hardware synth is by far the most tedious and annoying thing. I use HW synths because of their uniqueness, or because in my 30+ career as a keyboard player I've programmed some unique sounds I can't (or don't want to waste the time to) replicate with softsynths.

[msl]

Sound above all else, I love unique sounding gear (but usable). Don't really dump anything, though I should, I'm a bit of a hoarder

Agreed on the Xbase09, its a pretty stupid shitty UI alright. Though some happy accidents do happen that way, more often you just loose what you were working on, very annoying.



.

[Fordy]

Well with synths:

1) Must sound good and offer something different to the others I have
2) Must have lots of knobs, sliders and very little menu diving
3) Must look sexy although I will take an ugly one if the sounds are what I'm after.

[Karloff70]

The connotation value I am looking to evoke being present in the synth's character. Nothing worse than fighting a synth to make a connotation it doesn't actually have in its sound. Losing wicket. You end up with these 'sounds like one of those, but doesn't actually feel like it?' sort of sounds. Hate that.

Ease of use is good, but relative to the tasks I want to use it for. An old sampler can be a pain without annoying me if all I do is put stuff in there and back out for the sound colouration for example...all depends.

[Pschelfh]

Since I turned 45 and realised that I never will be (nor want to be) the next pop- or electro-star hoping to score a big hit, I'm buying synths solely based on their 'fun-factor'.

My latest addition is a Motif XF6, I can lose hours playing that (+ my 8 years old daughter is also crazy about it!!). The sounds aren't too bad either, so I guess that also comes into play.

Peter.

[Brainchild]

The sound is the key of course, but lately I'm most interested in options that allow me as much gymnastic/juggling availability as possible. The ideal is to be able to anything to the sound at any time with no effort, so the closer the options come to that the better. Unfortunately, this desire seems to be leading me inexorably toward the dark path of modulars...

[fengland]

sure I want it to sound good, but I want it to be an experience using it - to put me in a certain mindstate - especially a connection to the past. I love old heavy gear for this. I'm willing to sacrifice a lot of convenience for the vibe of a unique piece of vintage gear. Some stuff is too frustrating to work with, but most interfaces can be got used to for the sound/vibe. I just got my mpc60 last night and it's a perfect example of this. That thing is so unneccesarily huge. It feels like making beats on a dishwasher.

[Headphones]

I tend to decide on a few factors

1. Price: Let's face it, I'm rather skint(poor) at the moment. I'd love to own something in the $2-3k range, but since I can barely afford anything under $1000 at the moment, I just go after used equipment most of the time.

2. Ease of Use: I'm trying to be self taught as much as possible, so I'd prefer to avoid a synth that was going to be more hassle than it was worth editing/programming. So I prefer to have knobs/sliders on future synth purchases. I'd maybe want a Dx7, but I doubt I'd edit it without some software/hardware editor. (I have a Dx200, but never could figure out it's editor)

3. Sound: Of course this matters. I prefer something analoguesque, but let's face it. Digital is also needed for acoustic pianos, guitar sounds, sampled drums and Polyphony. I have an Alesis S4+, but it's screen is dying on me, and I can't seem to locate a replacement screen for it. So I may never use it for the bread/butter sounds I intended to, and I'd consider selling it, but doubt I'd get much for it. I'll eventually need something like a Triton rack, or a Jx1080 to replace it, but I haven't been to worried about digital for the time being.

[KrisM]

Sound, looks, and ease of programability.

Looks are important since I have to look at the thing all the time, and if it looks unappealing I won't really feel psyched about using it, and then it probably won't get used.

Petty, even shallow, I know.

[Fordy]

Originally Posted by KrisM

...if it looks unappealing I won't really feel psyched about using it, and then it probably won't get used.

Petty, even shallow, I know.

Not in the slightest!

[Estin]

UI first for me. If its not intuitive and well laid out i'll become annoyed and loose interest in it fast. Has to have a good number of knobs.

A close second would be sound. I guess i don't have a certain distinction of what "sound quality" is. It can be lo-fi, gritty, or glassy pristine, or even alias like crazy and i may love it. Sometimes i just get the vibe of it.

3rd is price because like a lot of others i'm on limited funds for sure.

[The Real MC]

Long term use, at least ten years.

This pretty much excludes software and any computer card (IE Oasys). Obsolescence is too short on them. Memory is another factor - CF and others are an obsolescence danger, while USB ports that accept thumbdrives have longer life.

Followed closely by intuitive interface and sound quality (if applicable, MIDI controllers don't generate sound). Poorly written user manuals (*cough* Roland *cough*) are a deal breaker.

[GuruInSpace]

Breasts

[DarkPlasma]

Sound quality is #1. Like no "spend time with it, and you'll see", but immediately dial in some waves, and filter them out. This must sound amazing.
Modulation possibilities is #2.
Build quality is #3.

[Rust Creep]

first and foremost

the Interface

without a decent interface, it doesn't really matter how good it can sound. so for me this means i need lots of tactile control, laid out in a logical manner

after the interface is sound. sound is what the machines are about so this is obviously very important

after sound would be the berth of the machine's sonic palate, ie how varied are the sounds it can make

things of poor build quality don't even get considered.

[Derp]

For me, it's interface above all else. I feel that even the worst-sounding synth has usable sounds in it waiting to be unleashed, but if programming it feels tedious or uninspiring, then you're never going to find that sound. I've passed up many great synths just because they didn't have enough control to make getting to those sounds worthwhile.